Device for treating the eyelashes



Feb. 14, 1933. M. A. BIRK 9 DEVICE FOR TREATING THE EYELA SHES Filed Aug. 9, 1952 ay way:

ATTOR N E Y- UNITED STATES Pars MARJORIE A. BIRK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DEVICE FOR TREATING THE EYELASHES Application filed August 9,

This invention relates in general to the art of personal beautification, i. e., to effecting artificially an increase in personal attractiveness of appearance. It relates particularly to the beautifying of the eyes, and more particularly to means to be employed with regard to the eyelashes.

The art of the beautician is very ancient. Many modern improvements in technique and in devices have come into general use. Because of some of these improvements and inventions results have been accomplished which hitherto were impossible, and there is a constant demand for further new beautifying effects and devices by which such effects may be accomplished. In the moving picture industry such things are a necessity for achieving the desired results on the screen. There is, however, at the present time a wide and intensive popular demand along this line.

The eyes, poetically called the windows of the soul, the most noticeable feature of and give the most expression to the face.

Therefore, throughout the ages the beautifying of the eyes has had a prominent place.

An attribute of the present invention is that a highly desirable beautifying effect may be more easily and advantageously produced than heretofore, by means of a simple and inexpensive device aarticularly adapted to the purpose.

The invention appears to have its widest and most pronounced field of utility with regard to the upper eyelashes, the appearance of which are of relatively great importance, hence the invention will be more particularly described in that relation.

Naturally, these lashes, when the eyes are open, issue from the edge of the eyelid at a downward and outward inclination and curve slightly outward and upward, so that at their ends they commonly project substantially horizontally forward, thus presenting their ends to view, with only very little of their actual length appearing to an observer, so that much of their beautifying effect is thus'lost.

In the method or process of treatment which may be effectively and conveniently 1932. Serial No. 628,052.

carried out by means of a device constructed in accordance with this invention, a very short or abrupt bend, in the nature of a single crimp, is impressed upon these lashes, in an upward direction, immediately adjacent to the edge of the lid, it having been found that such a substantially angular bend or crimp will be for the most part retained permanently over a long period.

Thus these lashes, instead of projecting for the most part only forwardly, as originally, will then have acquired a set position in which they project decidedly upwardly at a forward inclination, thereby bringing their full length into view and correspondingly greatly enhancing their beautifying effect.

The device provided in accordance with the invention. by means of which the above noted method of treating or manipulating the eyelashes may be conveniently and advantageously carried out, is so contrived as to be readily held by the fingers of one hand, leaving the thumb of the same hand free to press the lashes firmly upward around a thin edge of the device which is shaped to fit around the edge of the eyelid close thereto above the lashes which are then bent sharply upward against aportion of the device above this edge thereof and into an angular position of these lashes desirably somewhat beyond their intended final position, so as to allow for their slightly springing forward when released.

The invention will now be further and more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawing, illustrating one form of a device by means of which the above described treatment of the eyelashes may be accomplished together with its manner of use and the result and thereafter the invention will be pointed out in claims.

Figure l is a perspective view of one\ form of the eyelash treating device of this invention.

Figure 2 is an end view of the operating end thereof.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure i is a vertical section longitudiproduced thereby,

nally of the device and shows its manner of use.

Figure 5 is a similar view showing the result of the operation after it has been completed.

Figure 6 is front view of an eye the lashes of which have been treated by means of the illustrated device of this invention, and may be con 'deree as a view from the left in Figure drawn to a somewhat re duced scale.

The accompanying drawing illustrates one embodiment of the device of the invention and also the manner of using this device in producing the beautifying effect which it is particularly well adapted to accomplish.

The device shown in Fi ures 1 to a inclusive is of simple and inexpensive construction and may be readily formed in one piece from any suitable sheet material, such as metal or celluloid. The device shown may be easily produced by means of ordinary stamping or pressing operations. The device is shown as formed from a piece of sheet material which is of even thickness throughout, being both sulliciently thin and sufliciently stron for the purpose it is to serve. As is clearly shown in the drawing, this device has a transversely extending vertical downwardly projecting narrow roar or inner end portion 10 which is curved eoncavely flatwise towards the rear and which is also concavely curved downwardly in an edgewise direction.

This double curvature of the end member 10 will be clear from Figures 1, 2 and 3 and adapts it to conform substantially to the shape or contour of the eyelid 11 (Figures l, 5 and with its lower concave edge in contact with the upper sides of the eyelashes 12 close up the edge of the lid, as shown in Figure It has been found most convenient for practical operation to make this narrow member or end portion 10 of a transverse or horizontal length which will thus extend around the edge of the eyelid only half way, that is, from one corner of the eye to the middle, and then to reposition the device for the other half of the eyelid.

The vertical member or end portion 10 forms the rear or inner end of the device as a whole. and next above this end portion there is a forwardly inclined fiat intermediate portion or member 15 which clears the bony structure of the brow 14, so that the end member 10 may thus fit in close to the edge of the eyelid 11 in a substantially vertical position, as shown in Figure A finger grip or handle extends forwardly from the top of the forwardly and upwardly inclined fiat portion 13 and is shown as gradually tapering in width (Figures 1 and 2). This finger grip comprises a horizontal flat upper intermediate portion or member 15 extending forwardly from the top of the inclined portion 13, while the remainder of the finger grip forms an 3- shaped member having an EE-bend which dips dowi'iwardly from the flat upper portion 15, thereby forming an upwardly opening transversely extending concave substantially semi-circular finger-receiving depression or recess at 16, the terminal portion of this finger grip handle then bowing upwardly and being turned downwardly at its end so as to form on its lower side a somewhat smaller downwardly opening transverse y extending concave substantially semicirc lar finger-receivin upward bend or recess at 17 Preparatory to the use of the device, its S-shaped handle is gripped between the large or middle finger l8 and the next following or ring finger 19, with the front of the middle finger 18 seated in the depression 16 at the upper side of the handle and with the back of the ring finger 19 below the handle and seated at its back in the recess 17, the fore linger or index finger 20 being positioned above the upper fiat portion The device is then brought to the position of use shown in Figure 41-, for treating or operating upon the upper eyelashes. The end of the thumb 21 of the same hand is then brought firmly up against these lashes 12 in opposed relation to the lower edge of the end portion 10 of the device.

Upward pressure of the thumb 21 is counteracted or counterbalanced by corresponding downward pressure of the index finger 20. The device may be held accurately in the correct position and the inward or horizontally rearward component of the pressure of the thumb 21 against the front of the edge portion 10 of the device may be restrained to the desired extent by means of the fingers 18 and 19 in the respective recesses 16 and 17 of the S-shaped finger grip, these fingers also co-operating with the fore finger 20 to prevent upward movement of the inner end member 10.

By means of the pressure of the end of the thumb 21 the lashes 12 are bent sharply angularly upward against and around the lower edge of the inner end portion 10 of the device and firmly rearward against the front face of this end portion 10, as indicated in Figure 1. The lashes 12 are thus pressed upwardly and rearwardly from the forwardly projecting broken line position thereof shown in Figure 4 to an upwardly extending position somewhat beyond that which it is desired they shall finally occupy and shown in full lines in Figure 5. These lashes may be thus bent upwardly at substantially a right angle or at a slightly acute angle to the inner portions thereof issuing from the edge of the eyelid 11.

This operation will produce a very short, sharp, abrupt and in fact substantially angular turn or bend at 22 in each of the lashes 12 thus treated. It has been found that almost all of this abrupt bend or crimp 22 will be retained by the lashes 12 after this treatment, there being only a very slight outward springing of the lashes, for which alloy ince has been made. The hair of the lash is ghns bent to an angular degree beyond its resilient power to recover at the time, or for a long time, and possibly it may lose some of its natural resiliency at the angular bend or crimp 22. At any rate, these treated lashes 12 remain indefinitely or substantially permanently in a set position, in which, inclusive of the inner portion there of within and issuing from the lid 11, they are as a whole substantially of an L-shape as shown in full lines in Figure 5, where the original forwardly projecting position of the untreated lashes 12 is indicated by broken lines.

It will be clear from Figure 5 that the upstanding lashes 12 will be presented to view throughout their length, as will be even more evident from Figure 6, which clearly illustrates the accentuated beautifying effect of the upturned lashes 12. It should be obvious that the treatment of the lashes by means of the device of this in vention makes the eyes far more beautiful, and making the eyes more beautiful enhances the beauty of the entire face.

In effecting a treatment, as shown in Figure l, the thumb 21 of course engages with several of the lashes 12 at the same time. The thumb may be worked along the entire lower edge of the end member of the device. 1n impressing the angle or crimp 22,

the thumb 21 may at times desirably have a. slight upward sliding movement. li hen treatment of onehalf of the lashes 12, between the middle line of the eye and a corner, has been completed, then the device is simply moved over and the other half similarly treated.

It is to be understood that various modifications may be made in the construction of the device shown in the drawin and above particularly described within tne principle and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. A device for treating the eyelashes comprising an outwardly projecting handle portion, and a thin inner end portion which is concavely curved flatwise to fit around the edge of the eyelid and which is also concavely curved edgewise to engage with the outer sides of the lashes and around which the lashes may be abruptly bent so as thereby to become set in a position which more effectively displays their length.

2. A device for treating the upper eyelashes comprising a thin substantially vertical edge portion curved to fit around the edge of the upper eyelid in an operating position of engagement with the upper sides of the lashes and around the lower edge of which these lashes may be abruptly bent upwardly to an angular upstanding set position for thereby more effectively displaying their length, and a forwardly and upwardly inclined portion which carries said edge portion for supporting the latter in operating position while providing clearance for the brow over the eye.

3. The invention defined in claim 2, in combination with a finger grip handle portion of said device projecting forwardly from the top of the said inclined port-ion.

a. A device for treating the upper eyelashes comprising a thin substantially vertical edge portion curved to fit around the edge of the upper eyelid in an operating position of engagement with the upper sides of the eyelashes and around the lower edge of which these lashes-may be abruptly bent upwardly to anangular upstanding set position for thereby more effectively displaying their length, a forwardly and upwardly inclined portion which carries said edge portion for supporting the latter in operating position while providing clearance for the brow over the eye, a forwardly extending handle comprising an upper portion thereof extending forwardly rrom the top of said inclined portion of the device, and a forwardly extending terminal portion of the handle substantially in the form of the capi tal letter S which dips downward from the front of said upper portion and thence farther outward recurves upward in bowed form.

5. A device for treating the upper eyelashes comprising a thin substantially vertical front end member extending transversely and concavely curved towards the rear and along its lower edge so as to conform to and in its operating position to fit around the edge of the upper eyelid in engagement with the upper sides of the lashes and around the lower edge of which these lashes may be bent to an angular upstanding set position for more effectively displaying their length, a forwardly and upwardly inclined flat member extending from thetop of said end member so as to clear the brow of a person, an upper fiat member extending forwardly from the top of said inclined member, and an S-shaped member extending forwardly from the frontof said upper member from which it dips downwardly along a substantially semi-circular curve which merges outwardly into a substantially semi-circular reversed curve.

6. A device for treating the. eyelashes formed in one piece of shaped sheet material to comprise an S-shaped finger grip portion, a first fiat intermediate portion extending from one end of the S-shaped portion, a second fiat intermediate portion extending at an angle of inclination from the said first portion remote from the S-shaped portion, and a narrow terminal portion beyond said second portion having a curved shape substantially conforming with andto fit around the edge of the eyelid against the outer sides of the lashes. I

7. A device for treating the eyelashes comprising a forwardly projecting handle portion, and a thin and narrow inner end portion extending transversely of the handle and which along its transversely extending length is concavely curved flatwise towards the rear and which is also concavely curved edgewise along its operating edge to be held with its longitudinally concave side face adjacent to the edge of the eyelid and with its concave operating edge against the outer side of the lashes close to the edge of the eyelid and around which the lashes may be abruptly bent to an angular set position for more effectively displaying their length.

8. A device for treating the upper eyelashes comprisin a thin and narrow substantially vertical front end member extending transversely and having a lower edge to engage with the upper sides of the lashes adjacent to the edge of the eyelid and around which these lashes may be bent to an angular upstanding set position for more effectively displaying their length, a forwardly and upwardly inclined member to clear the brow, and a handle member extending forwardly from the top of said inclined member.

9. A device for treating the eyelashes formed in one piece of shaped sheet metal to comprise an S-shaped finger grip portion and a narrow terminal portion having a curved shape substantially conforming with and to fit around the edge of the eyelid against the outer sides of the lashes.

10. A device for treating the upper eye lashes comprising a thin and narrow substantially vertical front end member eXtending transversely with a concavely curved side face to fit around the edge of the eyelid and having a concavely curved lower edge to engage with the upper sides of the lashes adjacent to the edge of the eyelid and around which these lashes may be bent to an angular upstanding set position for more effectively displaying their length, a forwardly and upwardly extending mem her to clear the brow, and a handle member extending forwardly from the top of said latter member. 7

11. A device for treating the eyelashes comprising a thin and narrow front end member extending transversely with a concavely curved side face to fit around the edge of the eyelid and having a concavely curved operating edge to engage with the outer sides of the lashes adjacent to the edge of 

